2024

23rd October - The first corporate group to work at Uffington Gorse wood. Also the first group for us from Strutt and Parker. !2 volunteers from 'Estates' spent the morning moving the logs and branches, cut by the Waterway Recover Group's forestry team at the end of September, to the work area by Station Road. Although very muddy underfoot, the weather stayed fine and after lunch in the wood, the group went for a guided tour of the Uffington White Horse.

16th October - A team of twelve from the International Department of UK Research and Innovation. Although the ground was wet and muddy, the day stayed dry and it became a day of wheelbarrowing. First, loads of wood chippings were tipped on the muddy crossing at the end of the canal, making it useable. One group then cleared grass from around the tree saplings in the new copse and along a field hedge line and mulched with chippings. The second group moving many loads of reeds, that had been cut previously and piled on the canal bank, to the composting area. Despite many of the team walking miles with wheelbarrows, all enjoyed the day.

12th September - The Nationwide finance department returned with a large team of 23. We split into three groups -
1) Chipping the paths around and through the copse.
2) Scything and raking the Flower Meadow, filling the three compost bins in meadow area, so the remaining arisings had to be carried to the compost area by the canal.
3) Clearing the top of canal bank from Stainswick Lane towards the compound. The team did well raking up all arisings and moving them to a heap.
The team has to be commended for doing a great job and braving it out despite the weather being rather unkind after lunch.

31st July - Our last Nationwide team for a while. Today we had 9 volunteers from the security division who toiled on a very hot day. One group raked and moved arisings cut in the canal bed to the compost area with a second completing the digging of the west side bridge foundation and then mixing the concrete fill. After lunch at the local pub the roles were reversed although the heat made physical work a real effort. Well done all!

12th July - Severn volunteers today from Thames Water. One group carried on the task of clearing our proposed new meadow area, with a second group making a start on the "jungle" on the far side of Tuckmill Brook that will become a new footpath. Lunch was a picnic in the Park. Some had visited us 2 years ago and remarked positively on the changes since then.

10th July - Our second visit from Nationwide this year, this time the Finance department attended with 17 eager volunteers. Working in small teams, they helped move loads of building materials to Tuckmill Brook for our planned bridge, cleared areas of growth in the now dry canal bed, gathered risings from our planned new meadow area and had a good time at the local pub.

19th June - Swindon software company Rialtas came to the Canal Park with a team of 4. As well as doing some canal clearing they installed a new bench on the towpath near Tuckmill Brook so that weary walkers and volunteers might have a break!

5th June 2024 - Our first team from Nationwide this year, 8 volunteers from Purchasing - looking very cheerful at the start of a warm and mostly sunny day! They helped with several tasks, moving soil to build up the ground by a fence, removing grass from around our new saplings and to complete the day, clearing the canal bank by the Park, a full day's work.

13th March 2024 - We welcomed back Vodafone Property Services, with several of the 11 volunteers having previously visited in October last year. Fortunately it was one of the few recent dry days, but rains on the day before had made the ground and our soil heaps exceeding sticky. They mixed loads of concrete, filling over 80 sandbags for a new crossing into the adjacent Coppidthorne meadow, installed new gate posts and spread some of the sticky soil. Much appreciated hard labour!

2023

16th November 2023 - On one of the few fine autumnal days, a team of 13 from Nationwide mortgages joined us at the Canal Park. Groups set to work to clear brambles by a drainage ditch and at the east end of the Park where we require access to plant a new hedge and maintain the canal bank. Another group were busy all day filling sand-bags with a concrete mix to build up the new footpath crossings started last month. The crossing then being filled with soil. We did allow a few breaks, lunch in the pub and coffee around a well-stocked refreshment table. An excellent day's result for all, even the dog appeared to enjoy the change of scene.

4th October 2023 - Another company joined us for the first time - 15 volunteers from Vodafone Property Services spent a glorious day, collecting aggregate from SSLB, mixing concrete, laying pipes in a drainage ditch to make a footpath crossing and also clearing part of our new meadow area. A very full and sucessful day. 

 27th September 2023 - We welcomed a new company, Tanium (based in Reading). One large group was dispatched to Steppingstone Lane Bridge to tidy up all the cut material that had been left after the July clearance sessions and also to move aggregate back to the Park for their colleagues to mix into concrete for the bench bases. One base was completed with nearly a ton of concrete being laid. Another group continued to resurface the paths within the copse with wood chippings.

20th September 2023 - Another great team from Nationwide, just a pity the day went from damp to deluge, so work had to be abandoned at lunchtime. However, they made good progress in clearing around our benches in order for concrete bases to be laid and shifted loads of bark chippings to the wooldland paths. 
The two benches close to the copse are to have solid bases so that the ground beneath does not become muddy, these bases extending by a metre on one side to accommodate a pushchair or wheelchair.

8th August 2023 - Arval are so unlucky, their team of 8 picked another damp day. Some had been to us several times before so knew what to expect! However, they did a grand job of clearing all the annual growth from around our tree saplings in the Park area.

18th & 19th July 2023 - Teams at Nationwide just love coming to our sites. This month so many wanted to come from the Finance Department that we had to split the workforce over two days. Their task was to clear the undergrowth around Steppingstone Lane Bridge. Although we rebuild the bridge some years ago (see the project page), the wing-walls in the canal were not restored. The site had to be cleared so that the remains of the walls could be inspected and plans made for their reinstatement. On the 18th, 17 volunteers attended, with 19 on the 19th. Both teams worked really hard and the job was accomplished! 

28th June 2023 - Nationwide returns! This time with a group from the Security Transformation Delivery Team. 15 volunteers completed clearing the towpath to Station Road they also tackled the banks of the canal in our park and spread 3 tons of wood chippings on paths within the copse.

29th March 2023 - Another wet March day but the promised team of 5 from Arval turned up at the Canal Park to complete the clearing of the canal banks in the park itself; a task started by their colleagues back in October.
It was very muddy underfoot but the volunteers appeared to enjoy the day.

2022 

23rd November 2022 - Staff from Nationwide Building Society came to help us again. This time it was a team from "Retail IRB". Nine hardy men were not put off by the rather dire weather forecast, they movied a quantity of stone and did a great job tackling the overgrown northern canal bank in the Park. As you can see the weather was ok with just a few showers and the canal bank is much improved.

2nd November 2022 - Today we had the assistance of a group from Thames Water. The Offshore Partner Support Team put in some hard work continuing the clearance of the banks of the canal within the Park. The rain just about held off but the length is now rapidly becoming boggy.

26th October 2022 - After a damp start, the day became sunny and warm as we welcomed a group of seven from Arval. Some had been before with some having travelled from Worcester, Cambridge and even Manchester. Their task was to clear the banks of the canal within the Park before it filled with the winter rain. The 'after' photo shows that they made a significant difference.

21st September 2022 - Volunteers from Travelport visited for the first time. A great team of 16, most from the Swindon finance department but a few came all the way from their Slough HQ. Fortunately the weather was most kind, even hot at times and many tasks were achieved including completing the clearance of the last 120m of canal bank (hurrah!), installing 4 bat boxes and 3 signs, most notably our new entrance sign to the Canal Park.

25th August 2022 - In a change to our usual Wednesday work-parties, we hosted a band of volunteers from Swindon Based Sinewave, a power connection provider, on a Thursday. An unfortunate choice as it was the only day that week when it rained! However, the group throughly enjoyed the day and make more noticeable progress in clearing the canal.

17th August 2022 - A team of 11 today from Arval, for some of the participants it was their third visit to us, they must like it here!
As the canal was quite dry despite some recent rain, they carried on with the bank-clearing task. The end is literally in sight now.

27th July 2022 - We welcomed a group from the Environmental Agency for the first time. 15 volunteers from several environmental management teams came together for a teams' meeting and also to continue clearing the canal bank towards Tuckmill Brook.
At long last, this task is now nearing completion, grateful thanks to all the groups involved.

15th June 2022 - A strong contingent from the Shared Services Team of Thames Water, numbering 13, carried on the task of clearing the overgrown canal bank towards Tuckmill, making good progress depite it being a very hot day. Feedback confirmed that they had a most enjoyable day. 

Photos courtesy Jessica Eley.

18th May 2022 - After a quiet 2020 & 2021 for corporate volunteering, we welcomed Oakford Advisors Ltd. to the Canal Park for the first time.

An enthusiastic team of 9 came for the afternoon and spread wood chippings on paths in the copse & helped to clear a section of canal towards Tuckmill Brook.

We look forward to seeing them again.

 2019

 27th November 2019 - The 11 strong team from Nationwide were not so lucky with the weather but still enjoyed the day clearing the towpath.

20th November 2019 - Another team from Arval chose a fine day to do more clearance along the canal bank by the Park.

13th November 2019 - A team of three from local company Montala joined branch volunteers to clear up the debris at Tuckmill Brook. What they may have lacked in numbers, they made up with effort.

A lovely day in the autumn sunshine. We look forward to more of their company returning.

16th October 2019 - The first visit from Business West. Three brave folk from the Swindon office volunteered to work in the Park. Fortunately they chose the one day in weeks that it has not rained and tackled the surrounds of the second pond.

Both our ponds are now refilling after the dry summer.

2nd October 2019 - Thames Water visited us with a team of 11 on another lovely sunny day down in the cut by the Park, to clear more of the canal and have a jolly good burn-up.

25th September 2019 - Nationwide joined us again on a rather damp day, but the effort of the 13
strong team was not dampened. They got to work clearing one of the remaining patches of
bramble that encroach on the canal between the Park and Tuckmill Brook. 

18th September 2019 - Capita joined us for the first time with a superb team numbering 16.

They fixed a number of bird boxes around the Park and got to clearing the scrub from the canal and towpath at Tuckmill Brook.

17th September 2019 - Arval were back again with a group of six, who cleared out one of the seasonal ponds on the Park (now dry) and had a good burn-up of the debris left from the previous works parties.

21st August 2019 - Another excellent team from Arval. This time, eight volunteers got to work clearing out the drainage ditch at the back of our Park; this being necessary to prevent the adjacent lane flooding.

31st July 2019 - Our second team from Arval this month! Six enthusiastic volunteers tidied the entrance to the Park, seeded grass around the new path, repositioned the footpath sign and also continued the clearance of the canal bed towards Tuckmill Brook.

17th July 2019 - We welcomed our first team of volunteers from Thames Water on another scorching hot day. A dozen energetic folk completed the path started by Nationwide last week and then continued with the canal clearance towards Tuckmill Brook. Jobs well done.

12th July 2019 - More teams from Nationwide! The Financial Controls & Operations and Squad Departments, numbering 42 - our largest ever group, progressed four tasks.

A "heavy mob" extended the surfaced path in the Park, no easy job removing the rock-hard turf and shifting the stone on a hot day.

A second demanding job was to continue clearing the canal bed eastwards.

The third group carried out essential clipping of the hedgerows to keep the footpaths safe.

The fourth group were able to work in the shade of the Park copse gathering dead branches to create 12 habitat piles.

A full day with lots to show at the end, but it was not all graft, everyone enjoyed an on-site break for a buffet lunch in the shade of the trees.

9th July 2019 - Arval returned with a team to maintain the footpath to the north of the Park, before & after photos show the difference.

3rd July 2019 - Nationwide returned with an energetic  team of 15 on another very hot day and together with an equally enthusiastic group of 7 of from Intel, that joined us for the afternoon, about 100m of the canal was cleared eastwards from the Park.

5th June 2019 - Another group of 18 volunteers from Nationwide came for a day out to do some hard work along the canal towpath between Station Road & Stainswick Lane in Shrivenham. The path here was almost impassable due to the rapid spring growth of annuals.

On a glorious sunny day, teams from 'Compliance Oversite' and 'Branch Transformation' got going and by the end of the day the 630m path was again clear for public use.

23rd April 2019 - Nationwide provided a team of 22! They beavered away clearing and burning the last of the debris along the length to Tuckmill Brook and also some lying in the length through our Canalside Park.

At long last this section is virtually tidy.

Our first corporate work-party of 2019 was held on 10th April - 10 volunteers from the Nationwide Building Society risk assessment team enjoyed the sunshine and heaped up piles of debris cut last year, that lay along the canal to Tuckmill Brook, some under water after the winter rains and then had several bonfires. 

2018

October 2018 - A second team from the Defence Academy-JFD HQ Resources Dept.
12 hard-working volunteers put in a full day of scrub clearance and "recovered" the canal nearly to Tuckmill Brook.

 Sept 2018 - We welcomed 23 volunteers from the Defence Academy DCDC department, who cleared the brambles from 100m of the canal bank east of our Park. This section being totally dry at the time.

July 2018 - Two groups of energetic volunteers from Arval, kept the towpath open from Stainswick Lane to
Station Road, despite it being one of the summer's very hot days.

End June 2018 - London WRG cut and fixed the coping stones to the western parapet of Steppingstone Lane bridge, so completing the bridge rebuild.

May 2018 - A branch work-party completed the surfacing of the towpath adjacent to Station Road Shrivenham.